As a sea of blue and yellow took over Dundas Square in support of Ukraine on Monday night, the U.S. government announced it would pause military aid for the war-torn nation.
The suspension of aid comes just days after a fiery exchange in the White House between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice-President J.D. Vance.
The conversation — which saw Vance accuse Zelenskyy of not being thankful enough to the U.S. — sent shock waves across the international stage.
That heated White House meeting sparked last night’s gathering in Dundas Square. Hundreds of Torontonians came together with flags and signs denouncing the American response to the Russia-Ukraine war.
Many locals reaffirmed Canada’s support for Ukraine.
Chants of “Stand with Ukraine,” “Russia is a terrorist state” and “Free prisoners of war” could be heard among attendees of the rally.
Shortly after 7 p.m., demonstrators marched down Dundas Street East and headed towards the U.S. consulate. There, the protesters — organized by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress Toronto branch — continued the rally into the evening.
Ukrainians in Canada on ‘emotional rollercoaster’
Anna Jacyniak, one of Monday’s demonstrators who has friends and family living in Ukraine, told TorontoToday she’s been impressed by Ukraine’s resolve since Russia invaded three years ago.
Jacyniak said watching the war from Canada has been an “emotional rollercoaster” that has left her worried about her loved ones overseas.
She said she feels immense gratitude for the support and civility that Canadians have expressed toward Ukrainians since 2022.
“Ukraine is vibrant and people are working,” Jacyniak said. “They’re living their lives as much as possible. They’re fighting and staying strong, so we have to support them and help them as much as we can — that’s what today’s about.”
The fractured U.S.-Ukraine relationship
Talks between the American and Ukrainian presidents on a minerals deal broke down on Friday.
Trump argued the U.S. has spent too much taxpayer money to support Ukraine’s military efforts. He proposed Ukraine pay back the U.S. by allowing Americans access to Ukraine's deposits of so-called rare earth minerals that are vital in aerospace, defense and nuclear industries.
Zelenskyy argued Ukraine needed to know where the U.S. stands on its continued military support before allowing access.
During Zelenskyy’s White House meeting, the minerals deal soured.
Vance suggested to Zelenskyy that the path to peace with Russia was “engaging in diplomacy.”
When Zelenskyy questioned “what kind of diplomacy” Vance was referring to, an argument erupted.
“I’m talking about the kind of diplomacy that’s going to end the destruction of your country,” Vance replied.
The vice-president also accused Zelenskyy of being unwilling to negotiate a peace deal with Russia.
“You don’t have the cards right now,” Trump told Zelenskyy. “You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people. You’re gambling with World War III.”
The impact in Toronto
The White House argument left many residents of ally nations feeling devastated by the interaction, including in Toronto.
Jacyniak said she was “shocked” after seeing video of the filmed conversation between Trump, Vance and Zelenskyy.
“If that’s diplomacy, then I don’t know where they went to school,” she said. “They were literally mocking President Zelenskyy.”
Like Zelenskyy, Jacyniak opposed Trump’s reference to cards and gambling in reference to the fate of the Russia-Ukraine war.
“We’re not playing cards, this isn’t a game — it’s not funny,” she said. “It made a mockery of not only the Ukraine president, but politics, diplomacy and democracy in general.”
“It’s crazy for them to say Ukraine doesn’t want peace — that’s all we want,” she added.
Christine Cahute, a Monday night demonstrator who has family in western Ukraine, also lamented Trump and Vance’s treatment of Zelenskyy.
She pointed to a question posed by an American reporter from a right-wing news organization about why Zelenskyy wasn’t wearing a suit.
“Are you kidding me? That’s your question to a leader of a country who is at war? My stomach was turning over,” she said. “It was such a disgusting question.”
Cahute said Canada’s support of Ukraine is “more important than ever,” especially with American support waning.
She called for Canadians to rally in “huge numbers and to let Ukrainians know we haven’t forgotten about them.”
In the days following the White House interaction, the U.S. has paused shipments of critical munitions to Ukraine, including anti-tank weapons and thousands of artillery rounds and rockets.
